Pickle Pinwheels

These little roll ups are a recipe I found when looking for low carb/high protein recipes to serve when my dad (who is a diabetic) was visiting. 

Little did I know how yummy they are.  Or that everyone in the family would love them too! 

Bonus:  They’re super easy and can be made ahead. 

Dill Pickle Pinwheels

• 1/2 lb thinly sliced deli ham or salami or dried beef
• 1  package “whipped” cream cheese
• 4 large kosher dill pickles, whole

Pat dill pickles dry with paper towels. Take enough slices of meat (depending on size of pickle), and place them overlapping on a cutting board. (If you're lucky, just one slice will encase the entire pickle).

Spread cream cheese over meat.  (This is why it’s important to use the soft “whipped” cream cheese:)

Place dried pickle along one edge of cream cheese/meat and wrap up the pickle in blanket fashion.

Chill for an hour or two, then slice pickle in 1/2 inch pieces and lay flat on tray.

Enjoy your low carb treat!  b

Posted to Temp My Tummy Tuesday and Tasty Tuesday.  (Links in sidebar). 

Blessed

Blessed are they whose ways are blameless,
       who walk according to the law of the LORD.

Blessed are they who keep his statutes
       and seek him with all their heart.

Psalm 119:1-2

BBQ Chicken Salad

This is our favorite summer pasta salad… fast and easy too.  Bonus!  Feel free to substitute or leave out any fruits you don’t care for or don’t have on hand.

Barbecue Chicken Salad
INGREDIENTS:  4 cups cooked bow-tie pasta
2 cups cooked & cubed chicken meat
1 large apple - peeled, cored & cut in chunks
1 cup halved seedless grapes
1 (20 ounce) can pineapple tidbits, drained
1 (11 ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained
DRESSING: 
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon milk
1-2 tablespoons barbecue sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pinch ground nutmeg

In a large bowl, mix chicken, pasta and fruits.  Mix dressing ingredients together and gently toss with the chicken mixture.  Chill until ready to serve. 

Posted to Tempt My Tummy Tuesday and Tasty Tuesday  - See links in the sidebar    9  9  9 

Hush-a-bye Flower Garden

Finally finished this blanket I’ve been working on.  Love this color combination… rose, aqua, sage, chocolate.  Soft and yummy. 

I’m perfecting the art of joining squares or hexagons together as I crochet.  Because I’m not too great at, you know, actually sewing everything up once the pieces are all made. 

If you haven’t tried this method before, Moonstitches has a great tutorial.   
Look for Hush-a-bye over at puddintoes. 

Happy 4th of July!

 
Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
The Star-Spangled Banner, 4th verse

Psalm 119:2

Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart.

Psalm 119:2

Sunflower Cupcakes

 
Aren’t they pretty?  Really easy to make too. 

Especially if you can talk your lovely daughter-in-law into doing the frosting part for you b 

(Cuz I stink at piping icing). 

(And she’s nice like that).

First, make your cupcakes 6

Perfect Cake-Mix Cupcakes K

• 18.25-ounce box cake mix
• 1 cup buttermilk, in place of the water called for on the box (the box will call for more water than the buttermilk you are using)
• Vegetable oil (the amount on the box)
• 4 large eggs (in place of the number called for on the box)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.

Using substitutions above, follow the box instructions to mix all ingredients in a large bowl.  Beat with an electric mixer at low to medium speed until moistened, about 30 seconds.  Increase speed to high and beat until thick, 2 minutes longer.

Fill the paper liners 2/3 full.  Bake 15 to 20 minutes until tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Remove cupcakes from baking pans, place on a wire rack.  Cool completely.

Yield: 24 standard cupcakes

Now for the frosting.  Use your favorite buttercream recipe.  This is the one I used: 

Bakery Buttercream Frosting

• 1/2 cup white Crisco shortening, softened
• 1/2 cup butter, softened (can use margarine)
• 4-6 tablespoons cream (can use heavy cream, half and half cream or milk)
• 1 pinch salt 
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 5 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted (or as needed)

In a large bowl beat together the shortening and butter with cream, salt and vanilla until smooth (about 3 minutes).  Add in sifted confectioners sugar starting with 4-1/2 cups; beat very well until smooth and fluffy, adding more confectioners sugar or cream until you achieve desired consistency.  Add in food coloring (if using) until the desired shade is achieved.

Makes approximately 4 cups. 

Okay.  Now the fun part.  Put some frosting in the icing bag fitted with a leaf tip.  

Starting from the center of the “sunflower” and working out, pipe the petals. 

Handsome son #1 is standing at the ready with the complicated ingredients for making the sunflower centers. 

(AKA hot fudge sauce). 

Using 2 spoons, drop some hot fudge sauce straight from the jar into each flower center. 

 

Please do not heat the sauce first. 

(It melts the frosting). 

(Not that I would know). 

Please visit the links in the sidebar for lots more recipes, crafts and tips 9